


tripping the light fantastic

by Anonymous



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dance, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Modern Era, One Shot, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-28 01:17:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13893171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: As far as first meetings go, Blink wonders if he might have two left feet after all





	tripping the light fantastic

It had really been luck that Blink looked out the window of the dance studio when he did. 

Used to the shared space, Blink hardly spared a glance to the other part of the building when he practiced. He had to pay more attention to his spins anyway, so why he was drawn to the attached gymnasium below was beyond him.

Now, here he was, watching the boy with the curly hair perform his flips on the blue mat. It was entracing really, how he moved effortlessly, a way that Blink wondered if he himself could ever achieve. His dancing, the movements, were centralized and he knew where he was grounded. 

Watching the gymnast made Blink’s stomach churn, so he stepped away, shaking himself. It was fascinating all the same, leaving him to wonder why he hadn’t noticed the boy before. 

Grabbing his things, Blink set off to the gymnasium and edged into a corner once he entered. The boy was still practicing, but Blink could see the sweat on his face, his brows furrowed in concentration. Blink hoped he would take a break soon so he could have a chance to approach, not that he had anything planned except walking up to him.

As if the world was bending to him, Blink watched as the boy stepped off the mat and grabbed his water bottle, oblivious to his surroundings. Swallowing down his nerves, Blink made himself take a few steps forward, waving to announce his arrival. 

“Hi, I was watching you from upstairs,” Blink blurted out, his mouth racing ahead of his mind. “You look really great. I mean, the moves are really great. Not that you’re not great–” 

No matter how Blink tried to stop himself, he babbled on and on, barely registering the boy’s wide-eyed stare. By the time Blink got his mouth to stop, he stared at the ground, his face warm. 

Bright laughter filled the air and Blink dared to look up from his feet to see the boy grinning at him. 

“You up in the dance studio?” the boy asked, his face gentle and welcoming. 

“Yeah,” Blink nodded, wondering if he had made himself that obvious.

The boy’s gaze wandered to the upper floor and Blink followed it, curious to what the boy was thinking. 

“You’re never up there where I am. Do you always practice around this time?” 

Turning back to the boy, Blink scratched the back of his head. “Uh, it depends on the day. I come in at all times.”

“We always miss each other then,” the boy sighed, though the corner of his mouth was still turned up. “I’m...well...you can call me Mush.”

“That mean something special?” Blink couldn’t help ask and cleared his throat out of embarrassment.

Mush laughed, music to Blink’s ears, and shook his head. “Friends think I’m a sap is all.”

Blink hummed in amusement, then holding out his hand. “Blink’s what they call me.”

“Because of…?” Mush was slow to gesture as he took Blink’s hand and Blink met him halfway.

With a proud grin, he tapped his eyepatch with his free hand. “Yes, sir.” 

Their hands squeezed at the same time and Blink felt a wave of happiness wash over him. Already things were going better than expected as a question waited on his lips. 

“I’m curious about the flips you do,” Blink began. “Would you mind giving me a few tips? I can teach you some dance things in return.”

A small huff left Blink then as he realized Mush probably knew more than him and his offer wasn’t much of one at all.

“I’d love that.”

Blink took a moment to stare at Mush, the wide grin, his eyes shining and Blink swallowed. 

“I want to learn more contemporary dance moves. I think it’d help my routine,” Mush explained as his voice trailed off.

Tilting his head in confusion, Blink hoped Mush wasn’t changing his mind as Mush looked at the space between them. Following his gaze again, Blink saw their hands still latched together and he tore his away first, sputtering out a hasty apology.

“It’s okay,” Mush answered in a quiet voice, his face turned down. 

Blink thought he could see the trace of a smile on Mush’s face, but he didn’t pester. “You’ve got nice hands,” was all Blink managed to get out, his mind internally kicking him. 

“You too,” Mush returned the compliment and Blink became lost again in Mush’s friendly gaze. 

“Ah, I should let you get back to practice,” Blink began backing up, clutching onto the strap of his bag. “I’ll see you soon then?”

Mush seemed concerned at this sudden action before he dug into a nearby bag, pulling out a pen and piece of paper. 

“Here’s my number,” Mush said as he wrote with a flourish. “I’ll put down my availability too.”

The paper was ripped from its binding and held in front of Blink’s face as an offering. Gingerly taking it, Blink didn’t let his eyes leave Mush’s the entire time it took him to put the paper in his pocket. 

“I’ll call you tonight. Good to meet you, Mush,” Blink spoke slowly, his grin spreading with each word.

“Good to meet you too, Blink,” Mush winked. 

Their stares didn’t break until Blink was out of the gymnasium and his chest heaved once in the sanctuary of the hallway. Digging the piece of paper out of his jeans, Blink read the scribbled numbers and letters until he was sure they were committed to memory. 

With a spring in his step, Blink headed home all while thinking of how wonderful Mush was and what would become of them.

**Author's Note:**

> make me write more blush pls
> 
> [Tingle](http://safarikalamari.tumblr.com)


End file.
